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Belgium lightweight officers helmet

Article about: Hi guys could do with some help on this one. Sold to me as a Belgium lightweight officers helmet but when I got to checking around the Internet the colour black in high gloss on the inside o

  1. #1

    Default Belgium lightweight officers helmet

    Hi guys could do with some help on this one. Sold to me as a Belgium lightweight officers helmet but when I got to checking around the Internet the colour black in high gloss on the inside of the helmet and the chin strap are similar to Gendarmerie helmets and civic models. The outside has been redone in a brown OD but where it has chipped there is none of the black gloss present. It was only when I was taking some pics I found some writing on the inside of the removable liner ‘Soldat Hanjoute 35 0/8 40’ I know Soldat is French for soldier and Hanjoute is a name. I’ve weighed the helmet and it is 497g. The liner is not leather but has a synthetic plastic type feel.
    Is this a Belgium officers lightweight helmet?
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Belgium lightweight officers helmet   Belgium lightweight officers helmet  

    Belgium lightweight officers helmet   Belgium lightweight officers helmet  

    Belgium lightweight officers helmet   Belgium lightweight officers helmet  

    Belgium lightweight officers helmet  

  2. #2

    Default

    If it is made from Aluminium it is/was an officer's helmet. The black paint is like you say Gendarmerie (probably post war) , the liner is not typically officers either.
    Hard to tell from your photos if the khaki paint is the correct color and if it has age. Either the black paint was stripped from it or it was painted over the black paint probably post war.
    Personally I'd return it as it has too many issues. Here are 2 of mine. Note the leather liners and how they are held in the helmet.

    Belgium has 2 official languages of which one is French which explains why there is 'soldat' written in the liner.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Belgium lightweight officers helmet   Belgium lightweight officers helmet  

    Belgium lightweight officers helmet   Belgium lightweight officers helmet  


  3. #3

    Default

    agree the above. It was an alu lightweight helmet fot Gendarmerie once, but mesed with.
    Postwar repaint for sure, and the liner is made of some kind of erzats material, never used in Off lightweight helmets.

  4. #4

    Default

    The only problem : inside I see Soldier....
    The best Militaria forum in France is here : http://deutsch-militaria.forumactif.us/

  5. #5

    Default

    it's my believe, but not confirmed yet!!! that these type of liners (oil cloth) are not used in militaire service before '45. A whole buch of these m31 helmets turned up some years ago, all with a so called erzatz oil cloth liner, and in very poor quality of paint, most of them had lots of suface rust. As for now we think these are early post '45 helmets, and most probably only used in civil services, even in kaki.

    the only oil cloth liners seen in post '45 helmets are civil helmets, and the only helmet produced during German occupation was a very rare M31 variant, also with an oil cloth liner, and only used by red cross members.
    I have no real explanation for the writing in the liner, only that it is not from that helmet for sure.

  6. #6

    Default

    on another note!!! maybe it's a French liner? but I have no knowledge in the French liner variations.

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